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60 Town of Aurora Climate & Air Quality The Average yearly temperature in the Town of Aurora Aurora’s Climate Smart Communities is 48.4°F, with July highs around 78°F and January lows Participation around 15°F. The Town receives approximately 44 in. of rain and 116 in. of snow each year, The annual average The Town of Aurora is a participant Air Quality Index for Aurora is 27, which means the air in New York State’s Climate Smart quality is satisfactory and poses little to no risk to Communities (CSC) program and has human health. a Bronze Certification. The certification program recognizes communities for their Climate Change accomplishments towards mitigating and adapting to climate change at the Erie County, including the Town of Aurora, is included community level. Each level involves as part of Region 1 of NYSERDA’s ClimAID Climate earning points and meeting certain Regions. The ClimAID report was published in 2011 requirements related to priority actions and and updated in 2014 with new projections for climate CSC pledge elements. The Town of Aurora changes to the year 2100. The report projects an passed the Climate Smart Community increase in temperature for Region 1 between +4.3°F Pledge in September 2022 and approved a to +6.3°F by the 2050s and as much as +11.7°F by 2100. CSC Task Force in October 2022. In October Additionally, projections for increased precipitation 2023, the Town of Aurora was awarded the range from +2% to +7% by the 2050s to as much as +19% Bronze Certification with 132 points earned by 2100. Precipitation is projected to increase mostly from 19 completed actions. within the winter months, i.e. increased snowfall. By 2100, the state’s growing season could increase by a month, which could prove to increase agricultural productivity; on the other hand, summers will be more intense and more strenuous for human activity, especially those with respiratory issues and allergies. Solar Suitability Analysis In 2019, Erie County sought to identify parcels throughout the County that would be suitable for solar farm development in excess of 20 acres and/or approximately 5 MW of energy. The objective of this analysis was to (1) identify areas for development to meet the State’s renewable energy goals and (2) find alternative suitable land besides farms, so to ensure the land remains productive farmland. The criteria for a parcel to be considered suitable included (1) being greater than 20 acres, (2) within 0.5 miles of an existing transmission line, (3) not a wetland, and (4) is either vacant or undeveloped according to NYS tax parcel codes. Across the Town of Aurora, 29 parcels spanning 1,537 acres were identified as being potentially suitable for solar farm development. The majority of these parcels are found in the southern half of town, congregate along two transmission lines that cut through the town there. In addition to traditional solar energy farms, a burgeoning trend in rural communities over the last several years has been the act of agrivoltaics. Agrivoltaics is the combination of agricultural practices with solar installations, that allows for dual land use, optimizing space and increasing agricultural yields. By leveraging synergies between solar generation and farming, communities can benefit from enhanced food and other agricultural product production while simultaneously generating renewable energy, creating a win-win scenario for local economies. Soils & Topography Soils are the foundation for ecosystems and can greatly impact projects such as drainage systems, septic systems, building basement and foundation construction, and agricultural yield. The Town of Aurora has over 100 different soil types. Using data from the Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) the Town’s slope gradient can be calculated (in weighted averages), which is important given that slope heavily affects the potential for development and can incur additional construction costs. The elevation in the Town of Aurora varies from a less than 1% slope to up to 43%. The steepest slopes in Aurora are near the southeast of the Town, near the East Branch of Cazenovia Creek. To a smaller extent, there are also some steep slopes near the West Branch of the creek. Approximately 996 acres of the Town have slopes over 20%, constituting about 4.6% of total land in Aurora. Approximately 681 acres (3.1%) have slopes between 30% and 43%. The vast majority (over 92%) of land in Aurora has slopes of 12% or less.